The present invention generally relates to handles for refrigerator doors and, more specifically, to handles for refrigerator doors having a lock combined therewith.
Various types of handle structures for refrigerator doors are known. Typically, the refrigerator door has a handle mounted thereto for opening and closing the door but does not have a positive lock which prevents undesired opening of the door. This can be particularly troublesome when the refrigerator is located in a moving vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle, because various forces of the moving vehicle can cause the refrigerator door to open.
Many attempts have been made to provide refrigerator doors with positive locks. While these attempts may have successfully provided a positive lock, they each have drawbacks. For example, many of the locks are separate from the handle which makes it difficult and/or inconvenient to open the refrigerator door when necessary. Other handles are provided with locks which are manipulated simply by pulling the handle. These locks, however, are often complicated and expensive to manufacture and can allow the door to open under conditions where it is not desired. Such as, for example, were it is desired to keep children from opening the door.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a locking handle for a refrigerator which is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, provides a sufficiently strong positive lock, and requires a manipulation separate from pulling the handle to open door.